1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a paintball loader, and more specifically to a paintball loader which rapidly and forcibly feeds paintballs to a paintball marker.
2. Background of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to loaders for pneumatic paintball markers. Markers are typically used for target practice and in mock war games. The markers can use a compressed gas, such as air or nitrogen, to propel spherical projectiles called paintballs out of the barrel of the device. Paintballs are typically comprised of a colored liquid enclosed in a fragile gelatin casing. The paintballs can be designed to rupture upon impact to mark the target.
Typically, conventional loaders include a housing which is placed on an upper portion of the marker. The housing can be shaped to hold a large amount of paintballs. An outlet tube is typically located at the bottom of the housing through which the paintballs drop either by the force of gravity or by the force of a paintball feeding mechanism. The outlet tube can lead to the marker, where the paintballs are propelled outwardly from the marker by compressed air.
The main reason to provide a feeding mechanism is that the feeding of paintballs only by force of gravity does not always work satisfactorily. Firstly a high rate of fire, which is essential for the player, can not be achieved merely by force of gravity. Secondly the force of gravity only works when the marker is held in an upright or close to upright position, and consequently there is no feeding at all when the marker is tilted in certain angles since the paintballs then do not fall into the outlet tube. This problem can be avoided by providing a paintball loader mechanism which by force inputs the paintballs into the outlet tube and into the marker.